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This was actually his second treatment - 98% of cats only need one injection, but Wilbur was in that "lucky" 2% who have to get another one. Cats rarely become hypothyroid afterward because they tend to have varying quantities of ectopic thyroid tissue that kicks in afterward, so they end up normal. Even if the lab work says they have a low T4, they don't often become symptomatic, so they don't have to have supplementation.
Wilbur was actually lucky, because he wasn't all that sick to begin with. I usually run a blood panel every 6 months or so to check for problems, and found out about a year ago that he was hyperthyroid "on paper" before he had any symptoms at all. That allowed me to monitor him, and when I started to notice weight loss and increased appetite, I took him for the first treatment. He did well for a few months, and then I noticed his weight dropping again (and he began demanding more food) so I checked him and lo and behold he was hyperthyroid again. They gave him a slightly higher dose of radiation this time, so with any luck he won't need any further treatment. He did well at the hospital because he is not cranky like some of the older cats get (he's only 10) and is a very happy-go-lucky, friendly cat who has never in his life even hissed at anyone, and will purr at the drop of a hat and licks your hand like a dog. I am so glad to have him back home!
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